Arts, Crafts & Apologies
by That GF FAN
Summary: When a trip to the Arts and Crafts store takes an unexpected turn, Mabel and Ford have a talk bout an event that they hoped was now behind them. A one off Mabel and Ford bonding story. Part of a Collaboration effort on GF Amino with ShimmeryTwinkleheartcrafts. Cover art by Athenoot on GF Amino.


It was a beautiful morning in Gravity Falls. The perfect weather to be outside for a walk in the forest or something. But this is the Mystery Shack, when does that happen?

Stan and Soos were inside playing a game of cards. "Alright Soos, you have played poker before? I made millions with this game in casinos. Then lost all of them to some goons in the mafia. Long story short, I'm banned for life from Reno," says Stan.

"I sure do Mr. Pines. Now, when do I say goldfish? When you have five aces or after checkmate," says Soos.

"You have no idea how to play this do you," says Stan.

Before Soos can reply, a loud boom rocks the Mystery Shack.

"Dude what was that," says Soos.

"Probably those two nerds downstairs. I swear if Ford causes another nuclear meltdown, I'm sure those government agents will come back," says Stan.

At that moment Dipper and Ford come running into the living room.

"We heard a loud bang, is everything alright," says Dipper.

"Just to assure you that was not me or Dipper's fault," says Ford.

"It sounded like it came from upstairs dude," says Soos.

"Probably Mabel doing arts and crafts again. I'd check but the attic is so far away and I don't want Soos to see my cards," says Stan.

"Come on Grunkle Ford," says Dipper as he starts racing off for the stairs.

"Wait up Dipper. Oh, and by the way, how did those kids not get killed under your watch last year," says Ford to Stan. He just shrugs.

Dipper and Ford race upstairs and knock on the attic door.

"Mabel is everything okay," says Dipper.

"Don't come in yet," yells Mabel.

Ford does not like the sound of it. "Stand back Dipper," he says as he pulls out an automatic screwdriver from his coat.

Dipper watches as Ford unscrews the hinges in seconds and the door falls down. The two enter inside to be confronted by one unusual sight indeed.

They see Mabel holding a wet cloth in her hands trying to clean a burning sticky substance off of her bed. Multiple areas of the room are covered with it and there is a small burn mark in the centre of the room.

"Mabel what the heck happened," says Dipper.

"Well, you see…"

"Don't touch that Mabel! We have no idea what it could be," yells Ford interrupting her. He pushes Mabel aside and begins to study the substance.

"Fascinating. It's solidifying from a clear transparent liquid into a translucent solid. Where did this come from," he says.

"Actually my…."

"No wait, don't tell me, a fire breathing glob beast creature showed up, spit this substance at you, burned the floor and flew off. Maybe it's still out there. We better go looking for it. Suit up Dipper," says Ford.

"But Grunkle Ford it was not a fire breathing glob beast," Mabel yells.

Ford pauses and looks over to her.

"My glue gun exploded. I was trying to do some arts and crafts when my glue gun started making some weird noises. The next thing I knew it exploded and hot glue fell everywhere," Mabel says pointing to the burned remains of her glue gun.

Ford facepalms, "of course," he says.

"You okay Mabel," says Dipper.

"I'm fine, but look at my glue gun, it's ruined," she replies.

"Don't worry Mabel, we'll buy you a new one," Dipper says.

"No. I've had this glue gun since grade one. I still remember buying it. All the other glue guns were being mean and stuff to it, and I saved it from them," says Mabel, talking about how she found this glue gun laying at the bottom of a shelf full of glue guns. "Can't you fix it Grunkle Ford," she says showing the gun to him.

Ford looks at it for a few seconds and give Mabel the difficult news, "I'm sorry Mabel, your glue gun is beyond repair even for me. But I promise you I'll buy you a new one that's even better then this one was," he says.

Ford had rarely been there for Mabel in her most difficult of times, and even almost caused her to lose Dipper. Now that she was back for another summer, Ford wanted to seize every opportunity he had to redeem himself in her eyes. He knew that while Mabel had forgiven him, deep down even she still had some level of skepticism left and he wanted her to know he loved her just as much as he did her brother.

Mabel looked up at him, "really Grunkle Ford," she replies.

"I promise sweetie," he says. Ford immediately sees Mabel's eyes light up with the life and joy he she was best known for. She immediately jumps onto her bed and stares at the two boys with the eyes of a military general.

"Alright you two, if we're gonna do this, we're not going to any ordinary art and crafts store. We need to go to the best of the best," she says.

"Uh, Dipper, what does that mean," says Ford.

"Trust me Grunkle Ford, just go with Mabel's logic, you won't regret it," he replies giggling.

Mabel digs into a shoe box under her bed and pulls out a pair of coupons. "Specifically, this place," she says showing them to Ford.

* * *

The next thing they know (after cleaning the attic up), the trio is on the open road and soon after a long one and a half hour drive (and stopping for some burgers at a rest stop diner), they arrive at their destination, Steven's Miraculous Arts and Crafts Store. The Super Factory Outlet that was only in Oregon. Also known as Mabel's REAL dream world.

"The huge butterfly logo at the front gives this place such a magical vibe doesn't it. I bought all the yarn I make my sweaters with from these guys. But I've never been to their mega factory store," says Mabel.

"Uh ya," Dipper and Ford say simultaneously.

"Why did you rope me into this," whispers Ford to Dipper.

"Well Grunkle Stan was too caught up in his card game and you promised her remember," says Dipper.

"Well I thought this place would be a small little convince store, not a mini mall of America that got married to Disney Land," Ford replies, breaking the 4th wall in the process.

"Come on you two, we have a mission to accomplish," Mabel yells as she runs into the store.

Dipper and Ford race after her and are immediately awe struck at the inside of the place. Rows upon rows of shelfs full of arts and crafts materials, a small library of bookshelves, a mini kids park and even an expresso bar.

"Is this an arts and crafts store or did someone make Mabel land a reality," says Dipper.

"What's Mabel land," asks Ford.

"I'll explain it to you later," says Dipper.

"Oh, that's not possible. That place was fake. This though is the real deal. Now anyways, I gotta find a glue gun, but I need some other things too. Reason why I brought these coupons," says Mabel.

"Alright Mabel, how about we split up so we cover more ground. You tell me and Dipper what else you need and we'll get it while you go looking for your new glue gun," says Ford.

"Sure thing Grunkle Ford," says Mabel as she hands him a list.

"Come one Dipper, we got to, uh, really," Ford says to himself.

"We got, scratch and, uh, scratch and sniff sticker to find, come on," he says as he races off.

"I think the smell of acrylic paint here is getting to his head," says Dipper. "Give me a call when you find your glue gun okay."

"Copy that bro bro," says Mabel. The two head off to buy their supplies.

Whoever Steven was, he sure had a love of arts and crafts at a level only Mabel could rival. The store was huge and filled with anything an artist could want. Paper, other types of paper, big paint brushes, small brushes, very small brushes, even paintings of kitchen sinks.

But even an arts and crafts expert like Mabel was in a place that was pushing her limits. It was like finding a needle in a hay stack. But in her case, a hot glue gun in one of the largest arts and crafts stores in the country.

Mabel soon spots an employee, "excuse me ma'am, do you know where the hot glue guns are," she says.

"Oh yes of course dear. They're past the lawnmower paintings aisle and the not Christmas related snow globes aisle. You can't miss them," she says.

"Um, thanks," says Mabel as she follows the employee's directions. Oddly enough the paintings of lawnmowers did not confuse her as much as the paintings of empty toilet paper rolls did.

Soon she was in the snow globe aisle. Mabel used to love snow globes. Every Christmas she would buy one for her teachers. She figured chocolate was not an option given she might eat them before she could get them to her teachers. But now, snow globes were not something she was too fond of.

She had told Dipper, Stan and even Ford about it. They had told her it was not her fault, that she did not know, but the guilt still haunted her. Like a scar that would never leave her, the memory was forever locked in her mind.

Walking through his aisle made her nervous but she knew that what she wanted was just in the next aisle and all she had to do was make it there without….

It then happened. Mabel was so caught up in her thoughts that she did not notice a mini display of snow globes in her way. She bumps straight into them. The force of the impact is so strong that one of the snow globes fall.

Mabel watches it go, paralyzed in fear as the memories of it all flood back into her faster then a tsunami wave. She watches as it impacts the ground, but the snow globe does break. It was a plastic one.

But it's enough to rock her. Another shopper see's Mabel hit the display and approaches her.

"Are you okay dear," she says.

Mabel looks up at her, but she does not see the face of a lady there to help, she sees him. Those demonic, sadistic and twisted yellow eyes. Bill's eyes.

"No, stay back, not again. No, please no," Mabel yells as she runs off. The lady is left standing confused. What had just happened?

* * *

On the other side of the store, Dipper and Ford were having a coffee break at the expresso bar.

Dipper as usual buying some hot chocolate instead of coffee.

"How do you drink that stuff Grunkle Ford? I've never understood why people like coffee so much," he says.

Ford chuckles, "I still remember when my father introduced me to coffee. I think I was about your age then. I hated it as much as you do. But I tried it again a while later and long story short, I found it to be the best method of staying up to prepare for exams. It even helped Stanley pass his courses with passing marks. Coffee even helped me when I first came to Gravity Falls, but I'm sure you read about that in my journals didn't you," says Ford.

Dipper smiled, "Ya. But I think I'll stick to not liking coffee for now," he replies.

Afterword's, the two split up. They had failed to find the sticker aisle and refused to ask for help. Given Mabel had not called them yet, they figured they still had time to find them. And with over half the store still to explore, they had some ground to cover. Thankfully Ford had brought walkie talkies.

"Breaker, breaker, this is Big Dipper to Six fingers, come in ten-fold old buddy," says Dipper over the radio.

"You know I hate CB radio lingo Dipper. Anyways have you found anything yet," says Ford.

"Negative Six Fingers, but I'll keep looking," says Dipper.

"You're not gonna stop are you," says Ford.

However, his conversation is interrupted when he hears the sound of sobbing. A very familiar sobbing. Ford follows the noise to the far end of the store, in an area no one is in, the tissue paper aisle.

He then spots her, Mabel. There was Mabel, sitting on the floor with her sweater pulled over her face, rocking back and fourth and sobbing. The sight hurt Ford, especially given no one else was there to help her.

"Dipper, are you there," he says.

"Just for once use the trucker lingo please," he yells.

"Uh, fine, Big Dipper this is Six Fingers, I've found Mabel and I think you should get to the tissue paper aisle quickly, she's crying," says Ford.

"ten four Six fingers, I'll…. wait what did you say," asks Dipper.

"Mabel, she's crying. In the tissue paper aisle," says Ford.

"I'm on my way Grunkle Ford. Try and talk to her till I get there please," says Dipper as he signs out.

Ford walks up to Mabel and sits down next to her. "Hey Mabel sweetie, is everything okay," he says.

Mabel peeps out of her sweater. It was Ford. Upon seeing him, she collapses into his arms and starts crying even more.

"woah, Mabel, what happened. Are you sure you're okay," says Ford?

He was not used to dealing with stuff like this. His approach to issues would often be materialistic or giving into demands. He loved both Dipper and Mabel and had the knowledge to help them, but he was not an expert when it came to emotions. He did not know how to deal with tears.

"I, I did it again. I almost did it again, he almost…."

"Again? Who almost did what Mabel," says Ford.

"The, the rift, Bill, I dropped it, it fell. I, I, it was all my fault," she says through her sobs.

Ford realizes what Mabel was saying. He knew very well what had happened. He often threw pity at himself for putting that stupid rift into a snow globe like containment unit. One of the most innocent objects and one that Mabel loved, and he had ruined it for her unintentionally.

Ford also knew that this was not the Mystery Shack. Stan had told him about all the times Mabel had accidently broken snow globes in the shack.

"She must have broken a trip to Hawaii's worth of them," Stan had told him.

But Stan had it in is heart to forgive. He knew Mabel never broke them on purpose and he had dealt with more kids breaking them in a single day then he did with Mabel over the whole summer. But here, they'd be looking for whoever broke it and someone would have to pay for the damages. Ford needed to know.

"Mabel, did it break? Did you break a snow globe," he asks?

Mabel shakes her head. "I thought I did, but it didn't smash into pieces. I walked straight into it. I was not even paying attention. A lady tried to ask me what was wrong, but, I…I saw, those eyes and, I ran, I ran and hid again. Why? Why am I so afraid, why am I such a mess Grunkle Ford," Mabel says as she started to cry again.

Ford felt awful. Mabel was broken, and it was because of his mistakes in the past. She still carried the mental scars of Weirdmageddon. Scars that he knew would not easily heal. He knew for a fact that Stan still had nightmares and he did too. He could only imagine what Dipper and Mabel must have endured over the last year back in California. Dipper was pretty tight lipped about it but Ford knew deep down both the twins were going through hard times.

He did not know if it would work, but he had to try. He looked at Mabel, she looked back at him, "Mabel, listen to me sweetie, it was not your fault. You only knew what you knew. I think even Stanley would have fallen for that trick," he says.

"But…but don't you hate me for giving him the rift," she says wiping away some of her tears.

"My hatred for Bill grew even more when you told me you gave him the rift. That monster who I once thought of as a friend hurt you more then he ever did me. He broke your trust. He tricked you, and in a way I could never punish him enough for. He got what he deserved Mabel. He's dead and he is gone. Bill will never harm you, me, Dipper, Stan or anyone else you love and care for again. And life is back to normal, we're all alive, everyone we know is alive, we beat Bill Mabel."

Mabel stopped crying. Ford's sweater was covered in her tears. But he continued.

"In the end the only person who deserves to be hated is me. I never told you about the rift, I sent you on a quest to fight unicorns who I knew may hurt you, worst of all, I tried to sperate you and Dipper the same way me and Stan were. And it made you suffer. Suffer to the point you made this huge mistake. The blame is on me Mabel, not you. Please promise me you'll never hate yourself for that. You're a sweet, innocent and amazing girl, full of happiness and life. I would never be able for forgive myself if thanks to me, you stopped being like that."

Mabel begins to feel better, but she still felt a bit bad. But Ford continues.

"You have something that I never did. A heart big enough for everyone. You never held a grudge on me after Weirdmageddon, you never tried to shun me out of things like I have often done with you. You welcomed me in with an open heart, you gave me a second chance and I can never repay you enough for that. Mabel Pines, you are amazing and anyone who tries to say otherwise or make you suffer for your mistakes, well, they deserve a fate as bad as Bill got," Ford says as he finishes his sentence.

Mabel looked at him for a moment. Before Ford can say anything, he is caught into a strong embrace by her. Even he is surprised at how tight she can hug.

"I could never be mad at you Grunkle Ford. I don't blame you for what happened. You were doing what you thought was right. Why would I hate you for that? You're an amazing person, a bit crusty sometimes but I mean, Grunkle Stan would never let me paint his notebooks pink," says Mabel.

Ford smiles. He and Mabel were going to be just fine. Then he realizes it, "wait you did what to my notebooks," he says.

Mabel laughs, "I was joking silly," she says giving him a playful punch.

Ford starts to laugh too, it was pretty funny to be fair.

"So, you feel better Mabel? I'm sure there's a glue gun somewhere here waiting for you," he says.

"I do, thanks Grunkle Ford," says Mabel.

"Anytime pumpkin," he says.

"Hey Mabel I thought you were in Sweater Town not Hug Ville with Grunkle Ford" says a familiar voice.

They both look up to see Dipper standing there with a shopping bag in hand.

"Well not anymore. Grunkle Ford helped me feel better. Anyways what's in the back Dipper," Mabel says.

"Oh, nothing much, I just found these for you," says Dipper pulling out a packet of scratch and sniff stickers.

"Oh, you're the best Dipper," Mabel says as she gives Dipper a hug. She looks over to Ford and smiles. He knew what this meant, he then joins in on the hug.

"Alright, alright. Now can we find that glue gun and leave this place already. I think that acrylic paint smell is burning my nose," says Dipper.

"Are you sure it's the paint? I mean it still smells better then you Dipping Sauce," says Mabel as she runs off.

Dipper chases after her as Ford follows the twins, struggling to keep up.

* * *

Eventually the trio at last reach the glue gun aisle and find Mabel a new one. She even comes up with a name for it.

"I think I'll call him, Milo," she says. Dipper and Ford smile awkwardly.

On the way back, they have to walk past the snow globe aisle again. Although nervous, with her brother and great uncle by her side this time, Mabel does not feel afraid anymore. She feels as if she has finally conquered her fear of snow globes. Bill Cipher, even in death could not hurt her anymore. She had finally beaten him.

At the counter, there was one more surprise waiting for the three of them. Mabel presents her coupons to the cashier.

"I'm sorry dear, but these coupons expired a year ago," the cashier says.

Dipper and Ford look over to Mabel, "Oh, haha, I thought coupons don't expire. I probably should have checked that," she says.

Dipper laughs, "Oh Mabel. Well I mean it could be worse, like when you forgot your homework at school and tried to say I ate it. I mean I don't look like a dog," he says.

"That's between me and 2nd grade Dipper," says Mabel.

Ford finally sighs and says, "Okay, how much is this without the coupons."

It was not much but Ford still spent more then he intended too. Luckily for him it was on Stan's credit card. And the look of happiness on Mabel's face as she finally had her new glue gun made him feel like the happiest man on Earth.

For a visit to an Arts and Crafts store, they had spent so long there, that the sun was already beginning to set as they all climbed into the Stan mobile.

The ride home was filled with Mabel talking about all the arts and crafts she planned to make with her new glue gun, Dipper trying to tell jokes, and Ford talking about his adventures with Stan. All up until Mabel fell asleep in the back seat.

"By the way Grunkle Ford, what got Mabel so upset earlier today," Dipper asks.

Ford looks behind at Mabel fast asleep. She looked so peaceful, innocent, and happy. He then looked back at Dipper, "Oh, well, it was nothing really. It's all behind us now," he says.

"Uh, Okay," replies Dipper.

Ford smiled. He knew Dipper would have been okay with knowing what had happened, but he also knew how fiercely protective he was of his sister. In a way that he only wished he could have been for Stan at his age. They both looked so happy and he did not want to end this most perfect of day on an emotional note.

He felt now more then ever, that both Dipper and Mabel felt the same way about him. He now felt that he had finally jumped the final hurdle Mabel had for him. She now felt that she was equal to Dipper in his eyes. He did too. It was a feeling of happiness and accomplishment he did not wish to lose.

The sun dipped over the horizon as they pulled up to the Mystery Shack.

Dipper walked next to Ford as he carried Mabel who was still fast asleep inside. He knew she had many plans for the glue gun she took them both on this trip for, but for now, it was time for bed.

And after the day they had all had, it was something they were all ready for.


End file.
